From the sand to the leaf
by Vixen Uchiha
Summary: One mans fear will lead to his down fall even if the key players are no longer together. The Kazekage feared his youngest son when he should have feared the ones that had one fear of death
1. From the sand to the leaf

Disclaimer I do not own Naruto.

I sighed as I looked out the bedroom window of my aunt's room. "What do I do now?" I asked aloud, I waited for a answer from my cousin. I jumped when something fell behind me. I felt out the room with a couple of chakra strings. After making sure no one was in the room. I turned around and looked for what had fallen, it was a picture. I picked it up and flipped it over. The fall had broken the glass inside the frame doing letting loose more sand into the room. I smiled at the picture; it was one of my youngest cousins and myself out on the dunes near the wastelands. Sitting the picture and broken frame onto the floor, I begin removing the glass shards from the sand. My aunt had gotten me a large glass bottle to put the sand in that had stolen away with me in the move.

I used chakra strings to remove some of the smaller shards. Doing so made me think of all the training that my mom had given me, even going as far to get my great grand mother and my oldest uncle to train me. Neither knew of the other training me, if they had I would not have gotten any training. They hated each other; my great grand mother hated my uncle for killing her only son. He hated her for not seeing how evil his father's actions truly were. Their actions and feelings only validated the fact that most of my family from my mothers side was messed up. My other uncle feared his youngest son so badly he tried to have him killed more then once and the last time he had tried; well more like ordered one of his many ninjas under his command to kill his son he sent the boys uncle from his mother's side.

I could hazard a guess that he also ordered my parents death too. I know the only reason he did not kill me was his fear of Gaara, who liked me. So he did the next best thing he sent me away to my fathers family, though I doubt he knew of my training nor where I was going. He just wanted me gone. I didn't even get to say goodbye. I think he found out that we were getting close to finishing the plan that would take him out of the picture for good, so what if he was my uncle I still wanted him dead. I knew why he sent me here though, Gaara did not know where my fathers family lived. The thought of never seeing him again hurt, it was the anger in not being able to help him like I said I would that made me clinch my hand into a fist forgetting about the glass that I held it cut in to my hand.

Something else falling to the floor brought me back out of my dark thoughts. I smile what must have been a true smile in weeks as I saw the sand fly around in the air. I willed it to come to me as I made my way over to the full length mirror my aunt had on the back of her door. I pulled the sand into a long coat before quickly leavening the room. I jumped down the stairs and landed with out a sound at the bottom. I made my way into the kitchen "Cassandri, it is great to see out of our room." my aunt said I nodded to her. "I am going out for a little while." I said to my grandpa as he talked with another elderly man. He did not ask me where I was going, I knew he was truly happy just to see me leave the bedroom. I knew he wanted to ask me where I was heading but yet he told be to be careful. It did not take me long to reach my destination it took longer for me to feel out the forms I needed. I thought about forging my grandpa's name, but after all he has done for me these past couple of weeks, I just couldn't do that to him. I placed the forms in an inside pocket.

I sighed looking at all the people on the street, I quickly jumped to the closest rooftop then made my way back on. I flipped off the awning to land below, the restaurant was almost empty saved for an odd blond who was wearing a orange jumpsuit that was eyeing me. I flipped open the divider so that I could go behind the counter "You can't go back there" He told me as my grandfather returned from the back "Cassandri, your back already?" he asked I walked back out and sat a couple of seats away from the blond, I pulled out the papers and sat them on the counter top. "Can you sign them please?" I asked. He slowly picked them up and begin looking them over. Anima came from the back and sat a glass of water in front of me, before going to look over his shoulder to read the papers as well. I could feel the blond staring at me.

"Take a picture it last longer." I snarled at him. I saw him blush out of the corner of my eye. I reached out with a well placed chakra string to get a feel about him. I felt his but could almost feel a darker and deadlier chakra than the beast within Gaara. I knew with out a question that this boy held a demon with in him. "Are sure this is what you want?" I was asked by both of them. "yea, and a bowl of house special." I said he signed were it was needed. "Oh, Naruto this is Cassandri my granddaughter she is Mukotsu's daughter." my grandfather said

"Oh how is he?" he asked "dead" I said he gave me a sad look "I do not want pity, though it is nice to finally to meet you. My grandfather and aunt have spoke highly of you. I do not know how long you knew my father but he spoke highly of you too." I said it did not take long before food was place before use both. Naruto finished his food then bid us far well, I handed him my empty bowl and he handed me the forms. "Thanks, and be careful." I said as I left the stand. I took to the rooftops to make the trip go by faster, I handed my papers to a man with a scar across his nose. He looked over them than asked me to take a seat and wait. I knew I would have to talk to the hokege seeing as I was born in Suna and just recently came from there.

"Miss" I looked up it was the same man I had given my papers to. I followed him into an office, I was shocked to see the man from this morning setting behind the desk. He looked up at me and smiled at me. I could only guess that my grandfather told him a little about me. I bowed to him then sat in a chair as he waved me to. "Can I ask why you wish now to join that shinobi ranks?" he asked "I would never be one of that man's ninja" I said "well every thing seems to be in order." he said He handed me a peace of paper with a time and room number on it. "Sir there are some thing that I will need your help with sir." I said "Oh, what is it?" he asked lighting his pipe. "I am sure you know the life of ninja are felled with many dangers. I do not want my family to be hurt, so could you help me talk to my grandfather into letting me getting my own place." I asked

"I will stop be later." he said. I stood and bowed at him. "Thank you sir." I said he smiled at me "thank nothing of it, is there anything else you wish to ask before leaving?" he asked "Just one more thing, earlier today I meet a young boy. His name was Naruto when I felt his chakra to make sure he was not sent by that sadistic to kill the rest of my family I was shock to feel how larger his chakra reserves were .I felt deeper that is when I felt the demon in him. From the history I have been taught by my parents and from how my father talked about him. He holds the nine tailed fox does he not." No sooner then those words left my lips I felt a kunai being pressed to my neck. "Just how do you know this?" I was asked by the old man "I just as I said, history and the way my father asked me to treat him if we were to meet." I said

"How would that and why." he asked "They are the same and treat them as I wished to be treated." I told him. "I will stop by later you can go, however what we talked about Naruto is an s-class secret." he said. I nodded in as understanding. I did not wish to return home just yet, so I set out to see the village. As I was doing this I ran into Naruto well more likely he ran in to me. I turned and glared at him only to smile, "Sorry I am still not use to this village." I said, he just smiled at me "So what are you doing?" I asked "Noth, hey let me go." he yelled as a chuunin grabbed his arm from behind. I glared at the man. "Let him go" I said giving a shift kick to his shin the man quickly let Naruto go. "Miss please stay out of this, it does not concern you." he told me. "It concerns me when you are hauling off my tour guide." I said with a glare. The man flinched "But miss I just saw this boy trash a store front." he said

"He was with me and has been with me for a good part of the day. My grandfather asked him to show me around the town. This is a hidden village is it not, it is possible that someone might have wanted to get him into trouble and hinged into him and trashed the store." I said "I highly drought that." He said taking hold of Naruto once more and myself. "Let go" I growled out the man held tighter, "What seems to be the problem here?" was asked from be hind us. We all turned to the speaker. It was the Hokege. We both where quickly let go. "Hey old man what are you doing out?" Naruto asked I tensed at his words, however the Hokege smiled put me at a somewhat ease. "I was just helping them up, they stumbled into each other on her tour of the city." the chuunin said I glared at the man. "Then you can be on your way." the hokege said he nodded before jumping off, I kept track of him till I felt him stop suddenly. I knew something had happened to him.

"Well you two have a good day." the hokege said I bowed to him. He waved to use before walking off. I gave Naruto a blank look "well lead the way." I said he blinked "I did tell that man you where showing me the town and I would like to see the town and you do know the town." I said. He smiled at me then before pulling me off. As he showed me around I could not help but notice the stares he was given. Looks of hate were shot at him, some people spit in his path. Naruto did nothing, but look around. It seemed most of the people knew about Naruto and those in his age group and younger but they did not like him or fear him on their parents word.

At least Gaara was treated some what human, even if he was feared. He was treated better than Naruto was. Did they not know what power he could tap into. It was hours later when he dropped me off at in front of the stand. We had talked about a lot of things I had told him that "Thank you, can you stop by here in the morning and we can walk to the academy together tomorrow?" I asked he nodded, "That sounds great." "Good, I make breakfast." I said He waved before taking to the roof tops. I walked up the steps to the side door. I opened it to be greeted be my family and the hokege. "Did you have a good day?" my grandfather asked as I removed my sandals. "yea, I had a real good tour guide." I said taking a seat at the table.

"Hokege-sama said you wanted to talk about something." he told me pouring some tea "Yes, I want to get a place of my own. There are to many dangers in the path I am going to take and I do not want them to come back to you. I'll also need more room for weapons and scrolls that I am going to get. Plus over have of my stuff is still packed away. I can get one that is close and stop in every day." I said "Okay." he said I blinked he was given and odd look by aunt. "See you did not need my help after all." the hokege smiled "True, however Naruto does.." I stated flatly " It was my turn to get the odd look. "Do you know how he is treated?" I asked "I know he is not treated the as well I wish he was." "Your wishes have nothing to do about how he is treated. When he showed me around today he was glared at and not walked to well in the shops. He knows this but does not know why. If you where to ask me who had it harder between him and my cousin Gaara I would say Naruto. Gaara knows why he is hated and uses it to his advantage. However Naruto does not know and yet you let him be treated like shit."

"Young lady." My grandfather snapped "No, he needs to truly here this or see how Naruto is treated. I've seen what can happen. You don't under stand what he goes though daily, I have seen the power he could tap into and think the power I seen was a one tail think what nine can do." I said. The Hokege would not meet my eyes I glared at him, I looked at my family members they would not met my eyes too. "So you know. IS how you treat him out of pity or do you truly care for him?" I asked the people in the room. I turned and walked out of the room with out my sandals I could here my family calling for me I hopped on to the closest rooftop and took off. It wasn't long till I was winded I hopped down to a bench. I knew sooner or later the Hokege or one of his Anbu's would find me. "Cassandri" I looked up at the one who had called my name. "Hey Naruto what are you doing out this late?" asked. "I could ask you the same?" he shot back at me. "Had a fight." I told him "Want to talk about it?" he asked "not really, I do want to get out of the rain. In Suna it does not rain that often and I more then likely will get sick if I sat out side much longer." I said. "So want me to walk you back?" he asked "Don't really feel like going back, do you live close by?" I asked "yea are you sure it is proper for you to be in my place this late." he asked "I am a big girl, so its I crash at your place or sleep outside" I said

"No don't do that." he said when I followed him along the path. I stopped short, when a bucket of dirty water and trash was tossed on him the one who had tossed it on him said monsters belonged in the trash. "You didn't get any on you did you?" he asked I could see the worn look in his eyes. "lets get you to your house and get clean up." I said, after that it did not take to long to get to his apartment. "I am going to get a shower, make yourself at home." he told me. "alright." I told him he left me to look around. His place was barely livable, yet he made it homey. I looked for some tea after putting water on to heat. I noticed that most of his food was cupped noodles. After finally finding the tea I gave it a sniff and glared. After one to many lessons with great grams I knew this was a poison and hastily tossed it out.


	2. Who is the demon?

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto then I would not need school loans. Seeing as I do then I can safe yet sadly tell you I do not own Naruto.

I sat at the table waiting for Naruto to return from cleaning up. "You didn't want tea?" he asked as he came into the room. I looked at him, he was holding a towel and some clothing. "Couldn't find any." I stated "Odd I thought I bought some. I'll look while you change out of those. You said it did not rain a lot in Suna, if you stay in wet clothing you can catch cold as well. They may be a little small but there dry." He said in a matter of fact tone.

"Thanks" I said take the bundles from him then made my way to the bathroom. Once behind the bathroom door I willed the sand to fall, after that; it did not take long for me to change. The shirt fit fine the paints on the other hand where to loose and to short. I ruffled my hair with the towel, after it was no longer wet just a pleasant damp, I was ready to leave only, I was stuck one I had no place to put my sand and two I badly needed a belt. So I formed the long jacket once more and a belt to hold up the borrowed paints, then walked out of the bathroom Naruto was making some instant noodles. 

"What do you want me to do with these?" I asked he looked at me. "I'll dry them, you really should take the jacket off too." He said I handed him my stuff. "It is not wet." I said as I sat down. It was only then did I get a real good look at the place. "Sorry about the mess. What do you mean it is not wet." he said "Don't worry about the mess you should see the room Aunt Ayame and I are sharing. As for my jacket not being wet it is because of what is made of." I said, "Oh that is cool, noodles are done." he said we both ate in silence. 

It was deafen "Cassandri, I am really sorry that you almost got water tossed on you on the way here." he said "I was already wet getting more tossed on me would not have hurt me." I told him. "Well sometimes it is not water that old lady tosses out." he said confusing me. 

It took me a few seconds to piece together what he what he was telling and his worry if I hand gotten any on me. "Does she toss it out on you often?" I asked, I knew his answer would make my decision to tell him what I had confirmer earlier today. He nodded that she did, "Naruto do you know why you are treated the way you are?" I asked

"No, I have always been treated this way." he said "Tell me what you know of demons?" I asked he gave me a look that said I was crazy. "Beside the fact that the fourth gave his life to kill the Kyubbi; and some people call me a demon that is it." he told. It looked as if he was about to ask me why I had asked him that question "What do you know of jinchuuriki?" I asked, I was expecting to have to tell him that one, " It is a odd word meaning the power of human sacrifice". He said I blinked "Why all the odd questions?" he asked

"Okay to better explain, I'm going to tell you a story okay." I said he nodded clearing wanting to know. "Long ago there was a demon raccoon dog who had one tail, the Icibi no Shukaku, he hunted the sandy plains of the desert. His lucky victims would be killed the few that where unlucky where possessed by him.

Our history shows he did this, the last was my great-great-great grandfather. As the demon left his body monks where waiting. They sealed him away in a huge tea kettle, sadly he was not the last person for the demon to be in. My uncle hired a missing nin to steal the kittle, what for you might ask? The answer is simple to take the demon that has been sealed within where it can not hurt any one every again and seal it inside his youngest son. In doing so it cost him, his wife and in a way also his son's life. No his son did not died that day. The following years the boy was trained at a weapon, however there was a slight problem. The seal was faulty and the boy could not sleep for if he slept Icibi would take over and raise havoc. So the boys father order him killed. Assassin after assassin where sent after the boy. They all failed, none could get close enough to him. So father sent the one person that could, sent the boys uncle. The boy killed the assassin not knowing who he truly was and when he found out he turely thought himself a monster." I told him 

He was silent "Now tell me who in that story is the demon? Is it the boy who was born when his mother died by having a demon sealed in him? His father or uncle? Maybe it is you?" I asked braking him out of the stumper he had falling into. "Why do you ask that?" he said not even hiding the hurt he felt. "I mean nothing by it. I just want you to under stand what I will tell you. So the monster is?" I asked of him "The father he sealed the demon in his son know the dangers. But what does that have to do with the village treatment of me?" he asked

"Icibi no Shukaku was the weakest of the tailed beast, the Kyubbi no Youko being the strongest. So do you think one man could kill it when it took 23 monks to seal away the one tail over 66 years ago." I said I could see he under stood what I was trying to tell him. "So I have to fox sealed inside of me." he said "Sadly you do, these ungrateful villagers' do not understand you are keeping them safe. Whatever the fourth did saved them you helped him do it." I said he smiled "So they don't hate me but the fox." He said happily, I was some what shocked at his reaction. "Your not angry?" I asked "why would I be?" he shot back at me. "They treat you like shit and you most likely saved them all. I have seen what that hate can do to a person." I said hitting his table with more then necessary force seeing as I dented it.

"There is more to your story then you told me." he stated "Hai, after the last failed assasiotion the boy was left alone. Even though he had a father and apparently two older siblings. Neither siblings of the other. So when the boy came to live with them their father told his sister and brother to fear him for he was a monster. He tried to get his young niece to do the same. However she had been raised on bed time stories of a young hero who was hidden away in the forest. The greatest leader her father's village had faced off with the greatest of the tailed best. The man won by sealing any the beast by calling the almighty death god to seal him inside a newborn's belly. His last wish was for the village to treat the boy as the hero he was but it was not to happen. So the leader of the time before made a law telling the parent of that time they where not to talk of the beast and the child it was sealed within. She went out of her way to befriend her cousin, even beating up bigger kids then herself who spoke hateful words about him. They became fast friend, the boy really did not have a choose in the matter she would not leave him alone. She swore to help him just as she swore to meet the boy in her bedtime stories and thank him. 

She talked her mother in to training her at home. She talked her great grandmother to teaching her to be a medic and about seals. She somehow talked her uncle not the boy's father into teaching her the ways of the puppeteer. Sadly she was not able to help her cousin. His father had her parents killed, no he did not kill her fearing what his youngest son would do if he did. No in the dead of night while she cried for her family and worried for her cousins whom where away on a mission. He sent her away to the only family she had left on her father side. I am that girl Naruto, I made those vows and yet I can not complete all of them." I said standing. I bowed at my waste to him "Thank you for saving my family Naruto" I told him fighting tears. I was shock stiff when he hugged me "Hey no need to cry you can still help him; it just may take longer now is all." he told me " That is not it. I never got to say good-bye. I fear what my uncle told them, Temari and Kankurou will hurt yes, but Gaara; I worry it just might break him." I said. He helped me sit on the floor "Don't worry some how we will get word to them." he said I smiled at that. Those simple word he spoke made feel better. Some how I knew he would help me even if it meant going there himself. 

"Wait if it was made into a law won't you get in trouble for telling me?" He asked I could hear to worry in his voice. "I do not think I will seeing as the old man as you call him was in the same room with us, the whole time." I said 


End file.
